Welcome to Mrs. Golden's and Mr. McCarthy's Collaborative Unit
- - - The Civil War - --
Welcome to our unit on the Civil War! This was a crucial time period in American history and it forever shaped and altered the American landscape and people. Out of great sorrow and tragedy, sprang hope, renewal, and above all: Freedom. Throughout this unit, we will be guiding our students towards a deeper understanding of this incredibly divisive time and of the people who lived through it. As adolescents are expected to learn through reading, we have thoughtfully researched and selected a list of texts that will appeal to a wide variety of literacy strengths and styles, so that students can be thoughtfully engaged in reading. Through reading and studying a variety of primary sources, as well as excellent American literature, students will learn what it was like to live in the North, or the South, as a free person or slave. Some of the greatest writings and speeches of American history were written during this time, so it is appropriate that the English and social studies classes collaborate to offer our students a first-hand look at the Civil War, the joy and the pain of our nation's greatest struggle. Come along with us and enter the world of Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, and Jefferson Davis, never forgetting the everyday people whose lives are the threads that weave the flag of our nation.
Wisconsin Model Standards
Social Studies Standards
A.8.2 Construct mental maps of selected locales, regions, states, and countries and draw maps from memory, representing relative location, direction, size, and shape
B.8.1 Interpret the past using a variety of sources, such as biographies, diaries, journals, artifacts, eyewitness interviews, and other primary source materials, and evaluate the credibility of sources used
B.8.3 Describe the relationships between and among significant events, such as the causes and consequences of wars in United States and world history
B.8.4 Explain how and why events may be interpreted differently depending upon the perspectives of participants, witnesses, reporters, and historians
B.8.5 Use historical evidence to determine and support a position about important political values, such as freedom, democracy, equality, or justice, and express the position coherently
C.8.1 Identify and explain democracy's basic principles, including individual rights, responsibility for the common good, equal opportunity, equal protection of the laws, freedom of speech, justice, and majority rule with protection for minority rights
D.8.4 Describe how investments in human and physical capital, including new technology, affect standard of living and quality of life
E.8.2 Give examples to explain and illustrate how factors such as family, gender, and socioeconomic status contribute to individual identity and development
E.8.7 Identify and explain examples of bias, prejudice, and stereotyping, and how they contribute to conflict in a society
English Standards
B 8.1 Create or produce writing to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
B 8.2 Plan, revise, edit, and publish clear and effective writing.
C 8.3 Participate effectively in discussion.
D 8.1 Develop their vocabulary and ability to use words, phrases, idioms, and various grammatical structures as a means of improving communication.
E 8.1 Use computers to acquire, organize, analyze, and communicate information.
E 8.2 Make informed judgments about media and products.
F 8.1 Conduct research and inquiry on self-selected or assigned topics, issues, or problems and use an appropriate form to communicate their findings.
Rationale
The Curriculum Map for my English class includes an 11-day unit on Writing Research Reports. This is a natural area for collaboration between English and social studies teachers. The social studies content will provide a good backdrop of interesting and research-rich topics. The teaching of writing research reports in English will have immediate relevance for the students in their social studies content.
The Curriculum Map for my social studies class follows a 15-day unit on the Civil War. This topic, as many others in history, is best understood through a variety of texts, including both primary and secondary sources. As there are an abundance of superb examples of American literature during this time, I thought it would be best to collaborate with the English department to engage the students more fully in studying not only the historical relevance, but the great literature aspects as well. Through this collaboration, the students will be exposed to more historically relevant resources, and can make cross-curriculular connections which further engage the students and also increase the students' learning and retention level.
Adolescent literacy in Social Studies and English can be described in broad terms. For these collaborative units, we define adolescent literacy as the ability to read, comprehend, and synthesize content from a range of texts with a range of opinions. Our rationale for using the following reading and vocabulary strategies involves our desire to move students to higher level learning. These strategies will help students develop critical thinking skills, draw inferences, determine importance, develop questions, and form and support opinions. All of these strategies will help students more fully comprehend content and retain content longer.
Literacy Strategies We Will Use
Vocabulary Word Splash: This strategy offers students a chance to familiarize themselves with new words and concepts. I think it is an excellent pre-reading strategy to activate prior knowledge and engage students in thinking to acquire new knowledge. The teacher pulls a set of vocabulary words from the reading that is important for comprehension and "splashes" them on the board. The students interact with these words as they brainstorm and choose approximately half of the words and they then individually write complete sentences using the words they've chosen. Then the students explore the word relationships by arranging the words in groups and order, based on prior knowledge, with the student giving explanation as to their groupings. After this, the students read the text, comparing their original sentences with their new knowledge. With their new understanding, the students revise and write new sentences. The students then work in groups and compile a list of strong sentences that they share with the class. As an example for use in social studies, some of the words I would use are: Gettysburg, crusader, abolitionist, slave, free, sympathizer, and Mason-Dixon Line. I believe that using this strategy will give students a broader sense of words that they already know, as well as enlightening them on words that they are not familiar with.
Context Plus Word Logs: At the start of each unit, students will receive 10-15 vocabulary words that will be written on the classroom board and remain there during the entirety of the unit. These would be the same vocabulary words used by Mrs. Golden's Social Studies Class. Students will have a 3-ring binder in the classroom containing blank Context Plus Word Log Sheets as shown in the materials section. On the first day of the unit, students will be responsible for writing each vocabulary word on a separate sheet and completing the "What I know" and "I associate this word with" squares. On the second day of the unit, I will review the "Structural Analysis" and "Prediction of meaning" squares with the students during class. The worksheets will remain in the students' 3-ring binder in the classroom. When students see the word appear in the unit, they will complete the "Information from content" and "Vocabulary word definition" squares and return the worksheets to their 3-ring binder. During my lessons, I will make a special pronunciation emphasis or smartboard coloring for these vocabulary words so that students have an easier time recognizing them in content. Students will be able to ask questions during the lesson to discuss any aspect of these vocabulary words and how to complete their worksheets.
Writing Learning Log: Throughout this collaborative unit on the Civil War, I will be having my students compile Learning Logs. In this logs, the students will initially respond to specific questions regarding the readings and the study material, gradually the questions will become more open ended and allow for broader thinking. Eventually, the students will be able to write reflectively in their learning logs about issues that are of a specific interest to themselves individually. I will keep these learning logs in three ring binder folders with loose leaf paper, so that they can easily add additional paper if needed. Two or three times a week they will need to write their reflections, which will help them organize their thoughts and prepare them for further reading, questioning, and in-class or online discussion. The emphasis will be on getting the students to record their thinking informally, not on their writing style or grammar. Some of the questions that I will ask initially of my students will be: Why do you think the South was motivated towards war? How would you have felt if you were Abraham Lincoln after the 1860 election? What would you do if you were fighting for the North and your brother wanted to fight for the South? What do you think the South needed the most during the war?
Writing Conversations: Completed in the Computer Lab. Writing Conversations involves the reader/writer recording their thoughts in a passage. Their comments are then read by another reader/writer who can support/disagree/ask additional questions. By adding multiple readers/writers to this strategy, the teacher is creating a passage that develops into a written conversation, requiring the writers to clearly understand the content being discussed, formulate opinions and prepare to support their opinions or develop questions. This strategy also helps readers/writers see opposite points of view and develop writing strategies that can be used for various audiences. For specific information on how this strategy would be used, see the Student Assignment Instructions below..
Discussion Pair Review: Good readers stop periodically and think on what they have read; students also learn best by teaching others. Paired review combines these two aspects and enhances learning by allowing the students to stop their reading and review what they have read, any questions they have, any insight they have gained, and then discuss these with their fellow classmates. Strategies that incorporate review and reflection are a necessary step for synthesizing information. There are a variety of ways to do a pair review, but for this discussion I will focus on a three-minute pause. This strategy is likened to working for an hour at your computer on a paper and then afterward abruptly turning the computer off. Even students are incredulous at the seemingly thoughtless gesture that would cost you an hour's worth of work, because you never bothered to save it (Buehl, 2008, 121). Just as you need to save your work on a computer, you need to 'save' your work as you read, and a three-minute pause is a great way to do that. Students are paired up, each is given a role of A or B. At various points during the reading, the teacher calls out a pause and the student in role A would talk steadily about the material, recounting something interesting or memorable, or any questions they have, for 60 seconds. After one minute, the students change roles and partner B cannot repeat anything that partner A had previously said. Then the partners switch again, and partner A has 40 seconds to continue the review, again no repeating is allowed. Partner B also gets a second 40 second turn. The last switch is a 20 second recap for both partners. The emphasis on no repetition forces the students to think deeper about their reading and their learning. This is a quick way to recap, review, and 'save' information for students and get a different perspective on the readings. I would use this in my social studies class by having the students pause and review like this after reading some of the shorter texts, or shorter excerpts that have specific voice or perspective.
Discussion Web: When reading text materials, students will complete the web discussion worksheet. On one side of the worksheet, students will record details/quotes from their readings that support the South's point of view in the Civil War. On the other side of the worksheet, students will record details/quotes that support the North's point of view. After the initial reading and recording of notes, students will work in small groups to discuss their findings. They are allowed to add or edit their web worksheets based on the small group discussion. Each group will have a timer, recorder, questioner, and attendance keeper. The timer will keep track of overall time limits and help speakers in the group stay within their allotted time limit. The recorder will keep track of all discussion and be ready to report out to the whole class after small group has completed discussion. The questioner will ask a question after each person states a point of view that tries to elicit a response from the opposite point of view. The attendance keeper will make sure that all members of the group participate in the discussion and presentation of ideas. Using the web worksheet will help the reader prepare for the discussion, remember content, and create a reference artifact they can use when preparing their research paper.
Note Taking Questioning the Author:As a historian, I use this technique constantly, almost without thought. I am always questioning the author: Why are they writing this? What do they want me to think? I think it is especially important for students to learn this technique so that they can recognize marketing and persuasion, which is rampant in our society. One of the first things that teachers are encouraged to do when they are employing the QtA strategy is to shift the language in the classroom. Questions should not be "What does the book say?" but "What does the author say?" Asking questions about the author and their individual perspective and bias helps the readers to understand where the author is coming from, and they can better predict how they will write and what they will think. As the students read the text, I will have them write their questions in their notes, along with a short blurb about what they are questioning, so that we can review this easily. This is a skill that will have to be extensively modeled for the students, who may not be familiar or comfortable with questioning the author. Some of the questions that I will model for them in class will be: Who is this author? What type of motivation does the author have for what he is saying? Who do you think the author is writing this to? What is the point of the author's message? What does the author assume you already know? What could the author have done to clarify this? Why do you think the author tells you this information now? As the students get more comfortable with this skill, they will develop their own questions to the author, and their notes can provoke further questioning and a deeper understanding of the text.
Cornell:While reading the text material or listening to a lecture/discussion, the student will record notes using the Cornell Note Template. The actual notes/facts that the student wants to remember are written in the main body of the template. The left hand column is the cue area where readers/listeners will make connections and ask questions. In the area immediately to the left of the text note, the reader will record the connection by writing down their question or comment in response to the recorded fact. By making connections and asking questions, the learner is developing their critical thinking skills and finding relevance for the content. On the bottom of the template, the readers/listeners will summarize the passage/lecture using their own words and making sure to NOT just repeat content. This summary causes the learners to synthesize the content and moves them to higher learning and longer retention of content.
This is an excellent video that details the start of the Civil War. For those students who would like more information on this topic, or who are visual or auditory learners, this is a great resource.
"Ain't I a Woman Speech,"
Sojourner Truth, 1851
This is a primary source, this speech was given by Sojourner Truth at a Women's Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. Truth points out that although white men held that women were to be protected from the harsh realities of life, as a black woman, she was not protected at all. This gives relevance not only to womens' studies, but also to the mind-set of the people of the time.
Uncle Tom's Cabin,
Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1852
Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel about slavery and the South gives readers a graphic account of the realities of slavery and its impact on individuals. Long considered a literature classic, it also carries significant historical weight. In reading, students can make emotional connections for relevance and can the era's historical truth comes to light.
Contract for indenture of Susan, a girl of five years, August 19, 1865
This is a primary source document that graphically illustrates the realities for those in servitude in that time. Students can contrast this contract with what they learn about those who were taken and forced into slavery.
Jefferson Davis' Inaugural Address, (1861)
Another primary document, Davis' inaugural address illustrates the political will of the South and their motivation for war. Students can compare and contrast this with the writings and political speeches of Abraham Lincoln to see the differences that were polarizing the nation at this time.
A Virginia Girl in the First Year of the War
Harrison, C. C. Century Magazine 30 (Aug. 1885): 606-614.
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library
This primary source details the life and thoughts of a young Virginian girl during the first year of the Civil War. This thought-provoking essay gives students real-life insight into the life and times of adolescents during the war, giving opportunity for relevance and emotional connection, as well as a look at the power of diaries and personal reflection as historical data.
"Civil War Letters and Diary of Charles Berry Senior " (1864-1865)
Electronic Text Center at the University of Virginia.
This is another primary source, the diary and letters written by Charles Berry Senior to his father. This will give another personal aspect of the war and allow students to make personal connections. Charles Berry Senior was born in England in 1845, and moved to the United States, near Rock Falls, Iowa, when he was 12 years old. At the age of 19, he enlisted in the Seventh Iowa Infantry, at Plymouth, Iowa, in February of 1864. Charles remained in service for a year and a half, participating in General Sherman's four month campaign against Atlanta in the summer of 1864, as well as 12 other battles. His letters home to his father offer a unique glimpse into the harsh realities of war in the trenches.
Negro Spirituals
Higginson, Thomas Wentworth, 1823-1911.
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library
For those students who are more musically inclined, this collection of negro spirituals will speak of the attitudes and hope of the slaves in the South, and how they coped with life under slavery.
"Battle Hymn of the Republic"
Julia Ward Howe, 1861
Another musical aspect, this hymn was written by Julia Ward Howe after visiting a Union camp in the early days of the Civil War. It has since grown to become one fo the most beloved national songs of patriotism.
"The Gettysburg Address"
Abraham Lincoln, 1863
Perhaps Lincoln's most famous words, the Gettysburg Address is a short, but beautiful and eloquent speech that should give students insight into the Union's cause.
The Romance of the Civil War,
Albert Bushnell Hart,
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library
This collection includes over one hundred primary sources that offer conflicting depictions of slavery and the civil war, offering students a chance to view and recognize bias. Students can choose from a wide variety of essays, such as "Happy Days on the Plantation," by Susan Dabney Smedes (1840), an ex-slave who speaks of plantation life with joy, and "A Poor White's Opinion of Slavery," by Hinton Rowen Helper, (1857) who compares the life of a Southerner with that of a Northerner. The texts vary in difficulty and subject matter, and offer an abundance of opportunities for students to compare and contrast and recognize bias.
Lincoln : a photobiography by Russell Freedman
Lincoln: A Photobiography
Russell Freedman; Alfred Whital Stern Collection of Lincolniana
Publisher: New York, N.Y. : Clarion Books, 1987
This book offers a biography of Abraham Lincoln's life and presidency largely through photographs, appealing to the visual learners. The text is more easily understood as well.
The boys' war : Confederate and Union soldiers... by Jim Murphy
The Boys War: Confederate and Union Soldiers Talk about the Civil War
Jim Murphy
Publisher: New York : Clarion Books, 1990.
This is a non-fiction collection of letters, diary excerpts, personal recollections and archival photographs that showcase the personal aspects of the Civil War through the eyes of young boys. While reading this book, the students can connect with the youths of yesterday and the historical aspects should come alive for them. It also shows the importance of individual writing as a lasting legacy.
Women in the Civil War : extraordinary stories... by Larry G Eggleston
Women in the Civil War: Extraordinary stories of soldiers, spies, nurses, doctors, crusaders, and others
Larry G Eggleston
Publisher: Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland, 2003.
This collection showcases the little known and little reported activities of women during the civil war, who sometimes served secretly on the battlefield, or as spies, and openly as crusaders for the abolition movement and supporters of the Union. This collection shows the invaluable efforts of women and their heroic service to their nation. It is important that students be able to recognize themselves in history, it is essential for females to be seen and heard for what they have done and how they have impacted history.
These assignments will be completed as part of the collaboration between Social Studies and English and will be reviewed and assessed by both teachers. The rubric for these collaborative assignments will vary slightly for each class as each area will assess content differently. Social Studies will be more content specific, while English will focus on format and style of delivery.
Homework Assignment 1: Complete this assignment after your group has completed the Web Discussion Worksheet.
At the end of discussion, students should write down 3-4 areas they find interesting and would like to research further. For the assignment, reflect on these three areas of interest and determine a thesis/topic for your research paper. Students should write the thesis/topic on the front of a 3x5 card. On the back of the card they should list 5-6 questions they want answered from their research paper.
Homework Assignment 2: Complete this assignment after your group has discussed the Cornell Note Worksheet.
Students should pick any text material they find interesting, that will also help answer the questions on their 3x5 card or supply information they can use in their research paper. On the top of the Cornell Worksheet, list the text name and author. In the main body of the worksheet, record any material that you read that will help answer the questions or provide research. Make sure to use quotation marks if the material is a direct quote. In all situations, mark down the page number where you found the material. In the cue column, students should develop additional questions, answer previous questions, or comment on how this material will help their research. In the summary section, students should explain in their own words what the passage said, emphasizing how they will use this material in their research papers.
In School Assignment 3: This will be started in the Computer Lab during class time and may be completed during study halls or at home. Taking along the Discussion Web Worksheets, the 3x5 cards, and Cornell Note Worksheets, students will each type up a short 2-3 paragraph on an aspect of the Civil War and support their statements with research from any of their note sources. They will label their paragraph as either "Pro North" or "Pro South." Students will then copy and paste their paragraphs to the classroom blog. After posting their paragraph, the students must find 3 other student paragraphs on the classroom blog. For student 1 they must read the blog and then comment to support the paragraph. Again, they must support their comment with material from their notes. They should label their reply comment "support." For student 2 they must read the blog and then comment to disagree with the paragraph. Again, make sure to support comments with material from your notes and label this reply comment "disagree." For student 3 they must read the blog and then ask at least 3 questions they have after reading the blog. Label this reply comment "questions." Students may only do 1 reply for another student and they cannot post a "support" where there is already a support, "disagree" where there is already a disagree, or "question" where there is already a question. Copies of the blogs will be printed out, reviewed by the teachers, and then distributed to students as additional reference notes for their research paper.
Ongoing Vocabulary Assignment:
1 - Students should complete the Context Plus Vocabulary Worksheets for all vocabulary words by the end of the unit. Keep the completed worksheets in your English classroom 3 ring binder. Mr. McCarthy will review the Vocabulary Worksheets and assess your English learning log binders starting 2 days after the end of each unit.
2 - You will receive 5 extra credit bonus points on any blog posting, writing conversation, or research paper for using 1 of the vocabulary words properly. You will receive 10 extra credit bonus points on those items for using 2 or more of the vocabulary words properly.
http://etext.virginia.edu/civilwar/ http://www.worldcat.org/
Buehl, Doug. 2008. Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Tovani, Cris. 2004. Do I Really Have to Teach Reading? Content Comprehension, Grades 6-12. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Beers, Kylene, Probst, Robert E., and Rief, Linda, eds. 2007. Adolescent Literacy: Turning Promise into Practice. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Welcome to Mrs. Golden's and Mr. McCarthy's Collaborative Unit
- - - The Civil War - --
Welcome to our unit on the Civil War! This was a crucial time period in American history and it forever shaped and altered the American landscape and people. Out of great sorrow and tragedy, sprang hope, renewal, and above all: Freedom. Throughout this unit, we will be guiding our students towards a deeper understanding of this incredibly divisive time and of the people who lived through it. As adolescents are expected to learn through reading, we have thoughtfully researched and selected a list of texts that will appeal to a wide variety of literacy strengths and styles, so that students can be thoughtfully engaged in reading. Through reading and studying a variety of primary sources, as well as excellent American literature, students will learn what it was like to live in the North, or the South, as a free person or slave. Some of the greatest writings and speeches of American history were written during this time, so it is appropriate that the English and social studies classes collaborate to offer our students a first-hand look at the Civil War, the joy and the pain of our nation's greatest struggle. Come along with us and enter the world of Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, and Jefferson Davis, never forgetting the everyday people whose lives are the threads that weave the flag of our nation.
Wisconsin Model Standards
Social Studies Standards- A.8.2 Construct mental maps of selected locales, regions, states, and countries and draw maps from memory, representing relative location, direction, size, and shape
- B.8.1 Interpret the past using a variety of sources, such as biographies, diaries, journals, artifacts, eyewitness interviews, and other primary source materials, and evaluate the credibility of sources used
- B.8.3 Describe the relationships between and among significant events, such as the causes and consequences of wars in United States and world history
- B.8.4 Explain how and why events may be interpreted differently depending upon the perspectives of participants, witnesses, reporters, and historians
- B.8.5 Use historical evidence to determine and support a position about important political values, such as freedom, democracy, equality, or justice, and express the position coherently
- C.8.1 Identify and explain democracy's basic principles, including individual rights, responsibility for the common good, equal opportunity, equal protection of the laws, freedom of speech, justice, and majority rule with protection for minority rights
- D.8.4 Describe how investments in human and physical capital, including new technology, affect standard of living and quality of life
- E.8.2 Give examples to explain and illustrate how factors such as family, gender, and socioeconomic status contribute to individual identity and development
- E.8.7 Identify and explain examples of bias, prejudice, and stereotyping, and how they contribute to conflict in a society
English StandardsRationale
The Curriculum Map for my English class includes an 11-day unit on Writing Research Reports. This is a natural area for collaboration between English and social studies teachers. The social studies content will provide a good backdrop of interesting and research-rich topics. The teaching of writing research reports in English will have immediate relevance for the students in their social studies content.The Curriculum Map for my social studies class follows a 15-day unit on the Civil War. This topic, as many others in history, is best understood through a variety of texts, including both primary and secondary sources. As there are an abundance of superb examples of American literature during this time, I thought it would be best to collaborate with the English department to engage the students more fully in studying not only the historical relevance, but the great literature aspects as well. Through this collaboration, the students will be exposed to more historically relevant resources, and can make cross-curriculular connections which further engage the students and also increase the students' learning and retention level.
Adolescent literacy in Social Studies and English can be described in broad terms. For these collaborative units, we define adolescent literacy as the ability to read, comprehend, and synthesize content from a range of texts with a range of opinions. Our rationale for using the following reading and vocabulary strategies involves our desire to move students to higher level learning. These strategies will help students develop critical thinking skills, draw inferences, determine importance, develop questions, and form and support opinions. All of these strategies will help students more fully comprehend content and retain content longer.
Literacy Strategies We Will Use
VocabularyWord Splash: This strategy offers students a chance to familiarize themselves with new words and concepts. I think it is an excellent pre-reading strategy to activate prior knowledge and engage students in thinking to acquire new knowledge. The teacher pulls a set of vocabulary words from the reading that is important for comprehension and "splashes" them on the board. The students interact with these words as they brainstorm and choose approximately half of the words and they then individually write complete sentences using the words they've chosen. Then the students explore the word relationships by arranging the words in groups and order, based on prior knowledge, with the student giving explanation as to their groupings. After this, the students read the text, comparing their original sentences with their new knowledge. With their new understanding, the students revise and write new sentences. The students then work in groups and compile a list of strong sentences that they share with the class. As an example for use in social studies, some of the words I would use are: Gettysburg, crusader, abolitionist, slave, free, sympathizer, and Mason-Dixon Line. I believe that using this strategy will give students a broader sense of words that they already know, as well as enlightening them on words that they are not familiar with.
Context Plus Word Logs: At the start of each unit, students will receive 10-15 vocabulary words that will be written on the classroom board and remain there during the entirety of the unit. These would be the same vocabulary words used by Mrs. Golden's Social Studies Class. Students will have a 3-ring binder in the classroom containing blank Context Plus Word Log Sheets as shown in the materials section. On the first day of the unit, students will be responsible for writing each vocabulary word on a separate sheet and completing the "What I know" and "I associate this word with" squares. On the second day of the unit, I will review the "Structural Analysis" and "Prediction of meaning" squares with the students during class. The worksheets will remain in the students' 3-ring binder in the classroom. When students see the word appear in the unit, they will complete the "Information from content" and "Vocabulary word definition" squares and return the worksheets to their 3-ring binder. During my lessons, I will make a special pronunciation emphasis or smartboard coloring for these vocabulary words so that students have an easier time recognizing them in content. Students will be able to ask questions during the lesson to discuss any aspect of these vocabulary words and how to complete their worksheets.
Writing
Learning Log: Throughout this collaborative unit on the Civil War, I will be having my students compile Learning Logs. In this logs, the students will initially respond to specific questions regarding the readings and the study material, gradually the questions will become more open ended and allow for broader thinking. Eventually, the students will be able to write reflectively in their learning logs about issues that are of a specific interest to themselves individually. I will keep these learning logs in three ring binder folders with loose leaf paper, so that they can easily add additional paper if needed. Two or three times a week they will need to write their reflections, which will help them organize their thoughts and prepare them for further reading, questioning, and in-class or online discussion. The emphasis will be on getting the students to record their thinking informally, not on their writing style or grammar. Some of the questions that I will ask initially of my students will be: Why do you think the South was motivated towards war? How would you have felt if you were Abraham Lincoln after the 1860 election? What would you do if you were fighting for the North and your brother wanted to fight for the South? What do you think the South needed the most during the war?
Writing Conversations: Completed in the Computer Lab. Writing Conversations involves the reader/writer recording their thoughts in a passage. Their comments are then read by another reader/writer who can support/disagree/ask additional questions. By adding multiple readers/writers to this strategy, the teacher is creating a passage that develops into a written conversation, requiring the writers to clearly understand the content being discussed, formulate opinions and prepare to support their opinions or develop questions. This strategy also helps readers/writers see opposite points of view and develop writing strategies that can be used for various audiences. For specific information on how this strategy would be used, see the Student Assignment Instructions below..
Discussion
Pair Review: Good readers stop periodically and think on what they have read; students also learn best by teaching others. Paired review combines these two aspects and enhances learning by allowing the students to stop their reading and review what they have read, any questions they have, any insight they have gained, and then discuss these with their fellow classmates. Strategies that incorporate review and reflection are a necessary step for synthesizing information. There are a variety of ways to do a pair review, but for this discussion I will focus on a three-minute pause. This strategy is likened to working for an hour at your computer on a paper and then afterward abruptly turning the computer off. Even students are incredulous at the seemingly thoughtless gesture that would cost you an hour's worth of work, because you never bothered to save it (Buehl, 2008, 121). Just as you need to save your work on a computer, you need to 'save' your work as you read, and a three-minute pause is a great way to do that. Students are paired up, each is given a role of A or B. At various points during the reading, the teacher calls out a pause and the student in role A would talk steadily about the material, recounting something interesting or memorable, or any questions they have, for 60 seconds. After one minute, the students change roles and partner B cannot repeat anything that partner A had previously said. Then the partners switch again, and partner A has 40 seconds to continue the review, again no repeating is allowed. Partner B also gets a second 40 second turn. The last switch is a 20 second recap for both partners. The emphasis on no repetition forces the students to think deeper about their reading and their learning. This is a quick way to recap, review, and 'save' information for students and get a different perspective on the readings. I would use this in my social studies class by having the students pause and review like this after reading some of the shorter texts, or shorter excerpts that have specific voice or perspective.
Discussion Web: When reading text materials, students will complete the web discussion worksheet. On one side of the worksheet, students will record details/quotes from their readings that support the South's point of view in the Civil War. On the other side of the worksheet, students will record details/quotes that support the North's point of view. After the initial reading and recording of notes, students will work in small groups to discuss their findings. They are allowed to add or edit their web worksheets based on the small group discussion. Each group will have a timer, recorder, questioner, and attendance keeper. The timer will keep track of overall time limits and help speakers in the group stay within their allotted time limit. The recorder will keep track of all discussion and be ready to report out to the whole class after small group has completed discussion. The questioner will ask a question after each person states a point of view that tries to elicit a response from the opposite point of view. The attendance keeper will make sure that all members of the group participate in the discussion and presentation of ideas. Using the web worksheet will help the reader prepare for the discussion, remember content, and create a reference artifact they can use when preparing their research paper.
Note Taking
Questioning the Author: As a historian, I use this technique constantly, almost without thought. I am always questioning the author: Why are they writing this? What do they want me to think? I think it is especially important for students to learn this technique so that they can recognize marketing and persuasion, which is rampant in our society. One of the first things that teachers are encouraged to do when they are employing the QtA strategy is to shift the language in the classroom. Questions should not be "What does the book say?" but "What does the author say?" Asking questions about the author and their individual perspective and bias helps the readers to understand where the author is coming from, and they can better predict how they will write and what they will think. As the students read the text, I will have them write their questions in their notes, along with a short blurb about what they are questioning, so that we can review this easily. This is a skill that will have to be extensively modeled for the students, who may not be familiar or comfortable with questioning the author. Some of the questions that I will model for them in class will be: Who is this author? What type of motivation does the author have for what he is saying? Who do you think the author is writing this to? What is the point of the author's message? What does the author assume you already know? What could the author have done to clarify this? Why do you think the author tells you this information now? As the students get more comfortable with this skill, they will develop their own questions to the author, and their notes can provoke further questioning and a deeper understanding of the text.
Cornell: While reading the text material or listening to a lecture/discussion, the student will record notes using the Cornell Note Template. The actual notes/facts that the student wants to remember are written in the main body of the template. The left hand column is the cue area where readers/listeners will make connections and ask questions. In the area immediately to the left of the text note, the reader will record the connection by writing down their question or comment in response to the recorded fact. By making connections and asking questions, the learner is developing their critical thinking skills and finding relevance for the content. On the bottom of the template, the readers/listeners will summarize the passage/lecture using their own words and making sure to NOT just repeat content. This summary causes the learners to synthesize the content and moves them to higher learning and longer retention of content.
This is an excellent video that details the start of the Civil War. For those students who would like more information on this topic, or who are visual or auditory learners, this is a great resource.
Text Set and Reference Materials
Authors: Jennifer Armstrong and Mathew B. Brady
Publisher: New York : Atheneum Books For Young Readers, ©2005.
Summary and Relevance: In Photo By Brady: A picture of the Civil War Jennifer Armstrong shows the Civil War through the works of famous photographer Mathew B. Brady. Brady and field photographers travelled with the troops to capture images that are "haunting, beautiful, devastating, and totally unforgettable." This award winning book has been included in our text set because the images cause the reader to think creatively, imagine further, and develop questions. The images also provide a tool for writing prompts. This text may also appeal to struggling readers or those who prefer to learn using a visual intelligence.
Authors: Sally M. Walker
Publisher: Minneapolis : Carolrhoda Books, ©2005.
Summary and Relevance: In Secrets of a Civil War Submarine: solving the mysteries of the H.L.Hunley Sally M. Walker follows the story of a Confederate submarine through conception, building, practice runs, and finally to salvage attempts. She provides detailed research that discusses when and how the vessel sank. Her book touches the personal side of the Civil War by using first person letters in her research and describing attempts to reconstruct models of the crewmembers. This book has been included in our text set because it models research and helps the reader develop linear cause/effect thinking. In addition, the text provides a view of the Civil War from the Confederate persepctive. Portions of the text are higher level and may serve as enrichment areas for advanced readers. Readers who prefer to learn using an analytical intelligence may prefer the sections of text detailing the design of the submarine and its test runs.
Sojourner Truth, 1851
This is a primary source, this speech was given by Sojourner Truth at a Women's Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. Truth points out that although white men held that women were to be protected from the harsh realities of life, as a black woman, she was not protected at all. This gives relevance not only to womens' studies, but also to the mind-set of the people of the time.
Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1852
Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel about slavery and the South gives readers a graphic account of the realities of slavery and its impact on individuals. Long considered a literature classic, it also carries significant historical weight. In reading, students can make emotional connections for relevance and can the era's historical truth comes to light.
This is a primary source document that graphically illustrates the realities for those in servitude in that time. Students can contrast this contract with what they learn about those who were taken and forced into slavery.
Another primary document, Davis' inaugural address illustrates the political will of the South and their motivation for war. Students can compare and contrast this with the writings and political speeches of Abraham Lincoln to see the differences that were polarizing the nation at this time.
A Virginia Girl in the First Year of the War
Harrison, C. C.
Century Magazine 30 (Aug. 1885): 606-614.
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library
This primary source details the life and thoughts of a young Virginian girl during the first year of the Civil War. This thought-provoking essay gives students real-life insight into the life and times of adolescents during the war, giving opportunity for relevance and emotional connection, as well as a look at the power of diaries and personal reflection as historical data.
"Civil War Letters and Diary of Charles Berry Senior " (1864-1865)
Electronic Text Center at the University of Virginia.
This is another primary source, the diary and letters written by Charles Berry Senior to his father. This will give another personal aspect of the war and allow students to make personal connections. Charles Berry Senior was born in England in 1845, and moved to the United States, near Rock Falls, Iowa, when he was 12 years old. At the age of 19, he enlisted in the Seventh Iowa Infantry, at Plymouth, Iowa, in February of 1864. Charles remained in service for a year and a half, participating in General Sherman's four month campaign against Atlanta in the summer of 1864, as well as 12 other battles. His letters home to his father offer a unique glimpse into the harsh realities of war in the trenches.
Higginson, Thomas Wentworth, 1823-1911.
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library
For those students who are more musically inclined, this collection of negro spirituals will speak of the attitudes and hope of the slaves in the South, and how they coped with life under slavery.
"Battle Hymn of the Republic"
Julia Ward Howe, 1861
Another musical aspect, this hymn was written by Julia Ward Howe after visiting a Union camp in the early days of the Civil War. It has since grown to become one fo the most beloved national songs of patriotism.
Abraham Lincoln, 1863
Perhaps Lincoln's most famous words, the Gettysburg Address is a short, but beautiful and eloquent speech that should give students insight into the Union's cause.
The Romance of the Civil War,
Albert Bushnell Hart,
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library
This collection includes over one hundred primary sources that offer conflicting depictions of slavery and the civil war, offering students a chance to view and recognize bias. Students can choose from a wide variety of essays, such as "Happy Days on the Plantation," by Susan Dabney Smedes (1840), an ex-slave who speaks of plantation life with joy, and "A Poor White's Opinion of Slavery," by Hinton Rowen Helper, (1857) who compares the life of a Southerner with that of a Northerner. The texts vary in difficulty and subject matter, and offer an abundance of opportunities for students to compare and contrast and recognize bias.
Russell Freedman; Alfred Whital Stern Collection of Lincolniana
Publisher: New York, N.Y. : Clarion Books, 1987
This book offers a biography of Abraham Lincoln's life and presidency largely through photographs, appealing to the visual learners. The text is more easily understood as well.
Jim Murphy
Publisher: New York : Clarion Books, 1990.
This is a non-fiction collection of letters, diary excerpts, personal recollections and archival photographs that showcase the personal aspects of the Civil War through the eyes of young boys. While reading this book, the students can connect with the youths of yesterday and the historical aspects should come alive for them. It also shows the importance of individual writing as a lasting legacy.
Larry G Eggleston
Publisher: Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland, 2003.
This collection showcases the little known and little reported activities of women during the civil war, who sometimes served secretly on the battlefield, or as spies, and openly as crusaders for the abolition movement and supporters of the Union. This collection shows the invaluable efforts of women and their heroic service to their nation. It is important that students be able to recognize themselves in history, it is essential for females to be seen and heard for what they have done and how they have impacted history.
Web Sites for additional reading and reference:
The Civil War Home Page
The History Place
Civil War Center - Louisiana State University
Internet Modern History Sourcebook - U.S. Civil War - Fordham University
Student Assignment Instructions
These assignments will be completed as part of the collaboration between Social Studies and English and will be reviewed and assessed by both teachers. The rubric for these collaborative assignments will vary slightly for each class as each area will assess content differently. Social Studies will be more content specific, while English will focus on format and style of delivery.Homework Assignment 1: Complete this assignment after your group has completed the Web Discussion Worksheet.
At the end of discussion, students should write down 3-4 areas they find interesting and would like to research further. For the assignment, reflect on these three areas of interest and determine a thesis/topic for your research paper. Students should write the thesis/topic on the front of a 3x5 card. On the back of the card they should list 5-6 questions they want answered from their research paper.
Homework Assignment 2: Complete this assignment after your group has discussed the Cornell Note Worksheet.
Students should pick any text material they find interesting, that will also help answer the questions on their 3x5 card or supply information they can use in their research paper. On the top of the Cornell Worksheet, list the text name and author. In the main body of the worksheet, record any material that you read that will help answer the questions or provide research. Make sure to use quotation marks if the material is a direct quote. In all situations, mark down the page number where you found the material. In the cue column, students should develop additional questions, answer previous questions, or comment on how this material will help their research. In the summary section, students should explain in their own words what the passage said, emphasizing how they will use this material in their research papers.
In School Assignment 3: This will be started in the Computer Lab during class time and may be completed during study halls or at home. Taking along the Discussion Web Worksheets, the 3x5 cards, and Cornell Note Worksheets, students will each type up a short 2-3 paragraph on an aspect of the Civil War and support their statements with research from any of their note sources. They will label their paragraph as either "Pro North" or "Pro South." Students will then copy and paste their paragraphs to the classroom blog. After posting their paragraph, the students must find 3 other student paragraphs on the classroom blog. For student 1 they must read the blog and then comment to support the paragraph. Again, they must support their comment with material from their notes. They should label their reply comment "support." For student 2 they must read the blog and then comment to disagree with the paragraph. Again, make sure to support comments with material from your notes and label this reply comment "disagree." For student 3 they must read the blog and then ask at least 3 questions they have after reading the blog. Label this reply comment "questions." Students may only do 1 reply for another student and they cannot post a "support" where there is already a support, "disagree" where there is already a disagree, or "question" where there is already a question. Copies of the blogs will be printed out, reviewed by the teachers, and then distributed to students as additional reference notes for their research paper.
Ongoing Vocabulary Assignment:
1 - Students should complete the Context Plus Vocabulary Worksheets for all vocabulary words by the end of the unit. Keep the completed worksheets in your English classroom 3 ring binder. Mr. McCarthy will review the Vocabulary Worksheets and assess your English learning log binders starting 2 days after the end of each unit.
2 - You will receive 5 extra credit bonus points on any blog posting, writing conversation, or research paper for using 1 of the vocabulary words properly. You will receive 10 extra credit bonus points on those items for using 2 or more of the vocabulary words properly.
Materials
Bibliography
http://etext.virginia.edu/civilwar/http://www.worldcat.org/
Buehl, Doug. 2008. Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Tovani, Cris. 2004. Do I Really Have to Teach Reading? Content Comprehension, Grades 6-12. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Beers, Kylene, Probst, Robert E., and Rief, Linda, eds. 2007. Adolescent Literacy: Turning Promise into Practice. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.